Automotive Programs for Students

Palm Beach County is helping to prepare students for a career in the automotive industry with vocational programs that highlight an industry need. Quality automotive technicians in a growing industry is evident, and Palm Beach County schools are addressing the issue with automotive programs that tackle ever-evolving technologies.

Automotive Technicians

In 2016, 17.5 million new cars were sold in the United States. Americans now drive more than 260 million vehicles. There is, however, a crisis in the auto industry – a severe shortage of skilled technicians to service them.

“This is a significant problem not only for the auto industry but for owners who need dependable service from trained technicians,” says Oren Tasini, one of the foremost authorities in the United States on automotive law and issues.

Palm Beach County Business Development

Tasini, a shareholder with the North Palm Beach law firm of Haile Shaw & Pfaffenberger, P.A., recently joined Palm Beach County School Superintendent Dr. Robert Avossa, and members of the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County, to discuss how area schools could help prepare students for a career in a field in which learning about new technologies never stops.

Avossa said one the main challenges is convincing students and their parents that the automotive service industry is a viable option for students who wish to have a successful career.

Employment in Automotive Industry

Last month, in a New York Times report about the shortage of automotive technicians, The Times noted that, ” top-level technicians in the field can earn $100,000 a year after achieving master mechanic status and five years of experience. . .According to a 2016 report by the National Automobile Dealers Association, 266,000 technicians are employed to perform mechanical and body repairs.”

Automotive Industry Growth Rate

The shortage of dealer technicians is estimated to be more than 25,000. The problem has become so acute that BMW and Fiat have started their own training programs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment in the automotive repair sector will increase nine percent from 2012 to 2022.

Automotive Service Industry

Even with this kind of projected industry growth, parents are still concerned about their children’s long-term job prospects. Avossa, Tasini and top leaders in the automotive service industry hope to allay parent fears and provide high quality training for students that would include computer, communication, written, mechanical and electronic skills.

Automotive Education Programs

“We have an opportunity here to provide students with the training they need to be successful in the automotive industry, at a time when trained technicians are especially needed,” says Tasini. “Quality vocational programs are essential to ensure America’s workforce is equipped with the skills necessary for a successful future – and Palm Beach County is planning on leading the charge.”

The roundtable event was organized by Linda Barnette of MD Johnson, Inc., in conjunction with Kelly Smallridge, President and CEO of the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County. The BDB’s leadership is a vital part of this effort to increase jobs in Palm Beach County.

Archives

The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Before you decide, ask us to send you free written information about our qualifications and experience. This website and the information and materials available through the site are made available only in accordance with certain terms and conditions. To view those terms and conditions.